How to Become an Esthetician | Esthetician Schools Mount Pleasant NC

How to Enroll In an Esthetics Course near Mount Pleasant North Carolina

Mount Pleasant NC esthetician client with cucumber facial Now that you have decided to enter the field of cosmetology and enroll in an esthetician school near Mount Pleasant NC, the process starts to search for and enroll in the best program. It’s essential that the school you select not only furnishes the proper instruction for the specialty you have chosen, but also readies you for passing the licensing examination. When you start your initial search, you may be a little bit unclear about the difference between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the names are essentially interchangeable and both pertain to the same type of school. We’ll discuss a bit further concerning that in the next section. If you plan on commuting to classes you will need to find a school that is within driving distance of your Mount Pleasant residence. Tuition will additionally be a critical factor when assessing potential schools. Just keep in mind that because a school is the closest or the cheapest it’s not necessarily the right option. There are many other factors that you should evaluate when comparing schools, for instance their reputation and accreditation. We will review what questions you should ask regarding the cosmetology schools you are considering later within this article. Before we do, let’s talk a bit about what cosmetology is, and what kinds of training programs are offered.

Defining Cosmetology

esthetics facial toners Mount Pleasant NC Cosmetology is an occupation that is all about making the human body look more attractive with the application of cosmetics. So of course it makes sense that numerous cosmetology schools are regarded as beauty schools. Most of us think of makeup when we hear the word cosmetics, but actually a cosmetic may be anything that improves the appearance of a person’s skin, hair or nails. If you want to work as a cosmetologist, almost all states require that you undergo some kind of specialized training and then be licensed. Once you are licensed, the work settings include not only Mount Pleasant NC beauty salons and barber shops, but also such businesses as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, once they have gained experience and a client base, establish their own shops or salons. Others will start seeing customers either in their own residences or will travel to the client’s residence, or both. Cosmetology college graduates are known by many professional names and are employed in a wide variety of specialties including:

Estheticians
Hairdressers
Hairstylists
Beauticians
Barbers
Manicurists
Nail Technicians
Makeup Artists
Hair Coloring Specialists
Electrolysis Technicians

As previously mentioned, in the majority of states practicing cosmetologists have to be licensed. In a few states there is an exception. Only those conducting more skilled services, for example hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Other people working in cosmetology and less skilled, which include shampooers, are not required to become licensed in those states.

Esthetics Certificates and Degrees

Mount Pleasant NC esthetician client with face mask There are primarily two options available to receive esthetician training and a credential after completion. You can enroll in a certificate (or diploma) course, or you can work toward an Associate’s degree. Certificate programs typically call for 12 to 18 months to complete, while an Associate’s degree ordinarily takes about 2 years. If you enroll in a certificate program you will be instructed in all of the main areas of cosmetology. Briefer programs are available if you prefer to concentrate on just one area, for instance esthetics. A degree program will also most likely incorporate management and marketing training to ensure that graduates are better prepared to operate a salon or other Mount Pleasant NC business. Higher degrees are not prevalent, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are available in such specializations as salon or spa management. Whichever type of course you decide on, it’s essential to make certain that it’s certified by the North Carolina Board of Cosmetology. Numerous states only certify schools that are accredited by certain respected agencies, for instance the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will discuss the benefits of accreditation for the school you decide on in the next section.

Online Esthetics Schools

woman attending esthetician school online in Mount Pleasant NC Online esthetician classes are convenient for Mount Pleasant NC students who are employed full-time and have family responsibilities that make it hard to attend a more traditional school. There are a large number of online beauty school programs available that can be attended through a home computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More traditional cosmetology schools are typically fast paced because many programs are as brief as six or eight months. This means that a large portion of time is spent in the classroom. With online courses, you are covering the same volume of material, but you are not spending numerous hours away from your home or driving back and forth from classes. On the other hand, it’s important that the school you select can provide internship training in nearby salons and parlors so that you also receive the hands-on training necessary for a complete education. Without the internship portion of the training, it’s difficult to obtain the skills needed to work in any area of the cosmetology field. So make sure if you decide to enroll in an online school to confirm that internship training is provided in your area.

What to Ask Esthetics Trade Schools

Mount Pleasant NC models benefit from esthetic treatments Following is a list of questions that you will want to investigate for any esthetician training program you are considering. As we have previously discussed, the location of the school relative to your Mount Pleasant residence, in addition to the price of tuition, will undoubtedly be your first qualifiers. Whether you want to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will no doubt be next on your list. But once you have narrowed your school choices based on those preliminary qualifications, there are additional factors that you should research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Below we have put together several of those supplemental questions that you should ask every school before making a final decision.

Is the School Accredited? It’s necessary to make sure that the esthetician school you pick is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education certified local or national agency, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Programs accredited by the NACCAS must meet their high standards assuring a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be necessary for acquiring student loans or financial aid, which often are not offered in 28124 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a requirement for licensing in several states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, numerous Mount Pleasant NC businesses will not employ recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more favorably upon those with accredited training.

Does the School have a Good Reputation? Every esthetician institute that you are seriously considering should have a good to excellent reputation within the field. Being accredited is a good starting point. Next, ask the schools for testimonials from their network of businesses where they have placed their students. Verify that the schools have high job placement rates, indicating that their students are highly regarded. Visit rating companies for reviews together with the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any contacts with Mount Pleasant NC salon owners or managers, or any person working in the field, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are considering. They may even be able to suggest others that you had not looked into. And last, consult the North Carolina school licensing authority to find out if there have been any grievances filed or if the schools are in full compliance.

What’s the School’s Focus? A number of esthetician schools offer programs that are expansive in nature, focusing on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a specific specialty, for example hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs typically expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s imperative that you enroll in a school that focuses on your area of interest. If your intention is to be trained as an esthetician, make sure that the school you enroll in is accredited and well regarded for that program. If your dream is to start a Mount Pleasant NC beauty salon, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Picking a highly rated school with a poor program in the specialty you are pursuing will not provide the training you require.

Is Plenty of Live Training Provided? Learning and refining esthetician skills and techniques demands plenty of practice on people. Find out how much live, hands-on training is provided in the beauty courses you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on campus that make it possible for students to practice their growing skills on volunteers. If a beauty academy provides limited or no scheduled live training, but instead depends predominantly on utilizing mannequins, it may not be the best option for developing your skills. Therefore look for other schools that offer this kind of training.

Does the School Provide Job Assistance? Once a student graduates from an esthetician program, it’s important that he or she gets support in landing that very first job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that offer assistance develop relationships with Mount Pleasant NC businesses that are looking for qualified graduates available for hiring. Verify that the programs you are looking at have job placement programs and inquire which salons and organizations they refer students to. Additionally, ask what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only confirm that they have extensive networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.

Is Financial Aid Available? Most esthetician schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Find out if the schools you are looking at have a financial aid office. Speak with a counselor and find out what student loans or grants you may get approved for. If the school is a member of the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships available to students too. If a school satisfies all of your other qualifications with the exception of cost, do not discard it as an alternative before you learn what financial aid may be provided.

Attending Esthetician School Near Mount Pleasant NC?

Perhaps you live in the Mount Pleasant North Carolina area, or have found a school that you will commute to or even relocate to attend. Either way, following is some interesting background information about the location of your new esthetician program.

Mount Pleasant, North Carolina

Mount Pleasant is a town located in eastern Cabarrus County, North Carolina, USA. As of the 2010 census, the town population was 1,652.[4] The town center is located at the crossroads of Mount Pleasant Road and North Carolina Highway 73. NC Highway 49 skirts the town to the north on its way from Charlotte to Asheboro. The town is an important reference point along the road between Charlotte, the largest city in the Carolinas, and Raleigh, the North Carolina state capital. The town is also an important point on NC Highway 73 between Concord and Albemarle.

As of the census[2] of 2000, there were 1,259 people, 473 households, and 353 families residing in the town. The population density was 900.7 people per square mile (347.2/km²). There were 521 housing units at an average density of 372.7 per square mile (143.7/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 93.09% White, 5.88% African American, 0.32% Asian, and 0.71% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.24% of the population.

There were 473 households out of which 35.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 61.3% were married couples living together, 10.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.2% were non-families. 21.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.55 and the average family size was 3.00.

Enroll in the Right Esthetician College near Mount Pleasant NC

Selecting and enrolling in the ideal esthetician program is essential to receive the necessary training to become a licensed cosmetology practitioner. Be sure to ask all the questions that you require so as to feel certain about your decision. Be sure to compile all of the information you receive from the cosmetology school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then utilize that data to compare schools. A reasonable start in your due diligence procedure is to make certain that the academy and program you choose are accredited and have excellent reputations within the field. If you begin with that foundation, and address the additional questions supplied in this post, you will be able to reduce your list of schools so that you can make the ideal selection. Once you graduate and pass your licensing exam, you will be self-assured that you are ready to launch your new career as a professional esthetician in Mount Pleasant NC.